Great Tang Idyll - Volume 4 Chapter 45

“This should be about right. If the honeybugs keep coming, we’ll have to deal with them,” Zhang Xiaobao says, looking satisfied as the hired workers finish watering all the cabbages. Now, he feels at ease.

The workers don’t quite understand the purpose of what they are doing, but since they are instructed by the son of a high-ranking official, they follow his orders. It isn’t in vain. When they finish, they are given some leek and egg stuffing to take home. They can prepare it however they like—fried or wrapped in dough. For those without flour, frying it directly will suffice.

After Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan cut so many leeks, they decide there is no need to mash or soak them. The water that flows out is sufficient for chopping them into stuffing. They ask someone to bring over a hundred eggs, which they fry and mix with the leeks. This will serve as their wages.

Once everything is finished, the two of them make leek-filled pies for lunch.

While some people eat, others are still hungry. To gather as many shrimp as possible for the shrimp paste, Liu Shaoqing devises a method he thinks reasonable. Those who don’t catch enough shrimp will go without food. He says they’ll wait until evening, but when the workers start executing the plan, they begin at noon.

The workers have just learned how to catch shrimp, or more specifically, how to cast nets. They have no experience in judging where the shrimp are plentiful, so they have to rely on luck.

Liu Shaoqing’s subordinates are expected to meet quotas. If one person has to catch a jar of shrimp at night, they need half a jar by noon. His subordinates even come up with some ideas Liu Shaoqing hasn’t considered.

One jar of fresh shrimp won’t yield a full jar of shrimp paste. After crushing the shrimp, it takes roughly three times as many to fill a jar. In other words, the workers need to catch at least one and a half jars of fresh shrimp in the morning—an unreasonable demand.

In the past, these servants relied on their masters to go outside and oppress the common people. Now that they can no longer do that, they start to bully those around them. The servants of the three families are managed by a single household, and Liu Shaoqing’s servants act in the same way.

While others work, they stand by and watch. If someone isn’t working hard enough, they scold them. It hasn’t escalated to physical action yet, but when the master’s orders are passed down, the workers find a way to enforce them. If someone doesn’t listen to the scolding, they are denied food at noon.

The servants of the three families are already dissatisfied with Liu Shaoqing’s household. At first, they think the threat of being denied food is a joke, but when noon comes and they are indeed ignored, they realize it isn’t a joke.

When Liu Shaoqing’s servants are about to eat their food, the servants of the three families realize that they have been left without anything. They came to help but haven’t received any compensation, and now they are being scolded on top of that. It feels like they aren’t being treated like human beings.

“I quit. You can catch the shrimp yourselves. I’m taking a break to look at the sea.” A servant from Fan Jianxi’s house throws his net aside, sits on the raft, and stares at the distant sky and sea, unwilling to move.

Others follow suit, abandoning their work and sitting down to wait, seeing who will give in first.

The people eating on the shore don’t stop when the others do. They think to themselves that the workers came because their master promised the Cao family they would help. So, they feel they should just do as they are told.

“Eat quickly, then teach them a lesson. The master is anxious, but they dare not work. Let’s skip lunch and dinner and see how long they can last. Eat fast.”

A servant from Liu Shaoqing’s house glances at the sea, takes another mouthful of rice, swallows, and says.

As the situation starts to heat up, Cao Herui’s family arrives. They have come to ask if their family members can help Zhang’s household catch shrimp to help Liu Shaoqing with his troubles. When they arrive at the shore, they see about thirty people eating while ninety sit on the raft, doing nothing. It puzzles them.

Before they can ask the people eating about it, a raft from Cao Herui’s household quickly approaches. On board are several servants, who stand waiting.

As soon as they reach the shore, one of the men jumps off the raft and runs up to them, saying, “They won’t do any work. They just watch us and say that we must catch a jar and a half of shrimp in the morning or we won’t be fed. Go back and tell the master we quit. We came to help, but we’re enduring this humiliation.”

One person speaks up, and others join in, echoing the same sentiments.

As they listen, the expressions of Cao Herui’s servants grow darker. They had been discussing ways to help, but now it seems unnecessary.

“They don’t give us food, they don’t do any work, and instead, they expect us to do it for them. Are the people from the Cao family so easy to bully?”

Feeling frustrated, the servant plans to go over and confront them. There is no need to complain—he will just take his people and leave. The Cao family should not be controlled by the Liu family.

But just as he is about to leave, more people arrive. Some from the Zhang family have come, and as soon as they arrive, they set up a pot and prepare firewood.

Under everyone’s curious gaze, one of them approaches the Cao family and says: “My master ordered that, since the document has been written, we should start work at noon. According to Zhang family tradition, we provide food for the workers. We came in a hurry and didn’t prepare much, so we’ll give you something simple.”

The housekeeper from Cao Herui’s family is surprised. He didn’t expect the Zhang family to honor the food arrangement outlined in the document. Fortunately, his family hasn’t eaten yet. The quality doesn’t matter as long as they can eat. He quickly replies, “Then we’re very grateful.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” the Zhang family member says politely. “This is how we’ve always done it. Just wait a bit, and we’ll have food ready.”

“Brother Ziyu, is this someone from the Zhang family? How can we not do business with them?” one of Cao Herui’s servants asks, noticing the exchange.

“Well, there is business,” says the young steward of the Cao family. “From now on, you’ll work at the Zhang family’s fishing shop. They’ll provide three meals a day, a new set of clothes, and wages. When I arrived, the master wanted to exchange shrimp with Lord Liu, but now… I need to ask the master about it. In the meantime, learn from them. The more fish you catch, the more you’ll earn.”

Though they don’t get along well with the Zhang family, the young steward isn’t going to turn down an opportunity to make money.

The Zhang family works quickly, and the food is simple but fulfilling: dumplings, two cold dishes, and some wine. Normally, workers at the seaside don’t get wine for lunch, but Zhang Xiaobao doesn’t want them working anyway.

The cold dish is cucumber mixed with bean curd sheets, and the meat dish is pork head, served with a large bowl of garlic sauce and coriander. The wine is plain rice wine, and there is aged vinegar for those who want to try it.

The people from the Cao family are eager to try the meal, while the people from Liu Shaoqing’s family are curious. Others from the other two families are also wondering what is going on between the Zhang and Cao families.

Just as everyone is thinking, the dumplings are ready. The Zhang family calls the Cao family over. The servants from Cao Herui’s household don’t hesitate. “Since you made them for us, we’ll eat them. We don’t believe there’s poison in them.”

With no tables or stools, they place the food in basins on the sand. The Zhang family cooks haven’t eaten yet, so those not busy join the Cao family. There are no plates, only wooden bowls. They dip dumplings in soy sauce and vinegar, chewing and exhaling hot air.

“Eat, there’s more over there. You’re in for a treat today. Do you know who made the filling for these dumplings? The young master and young lady went to the chive field early this morning to cut chives just to make dumplings for you. This might be the only time you eat something like this in your life.”

The people from the Cao family don’t know what makes the dumplings special. They watch the cooks eat, reassured that it is safe. As they eat, they realize these dumplings are unlike any they’ve ever had—better than even the best they’ve tasted.

With the two cold dishes and wine, they eat heartily, which draws the attention of Liu Shaoqing’s people. Not knowing what is going on, they arrive to find dumplings, cold dishes, and wine. One of them, who isn’t very sharp, thinks that if the Cao family can eat, they can too.

He looks around and sees chopsticks on a table nearby. Instead of using them, he reaches for a dumpling from a bowl and stuffs it into his mouth. After chewing twice, he feels a sharp pain in his stomach, his body jerks back, and he spits the dumpling out.

“Who told you to eat that?” a Zhang family guard shouts. “You’re from the Liu family, right? Don’t you know the rules? The Zhang family didn’t invite you to eat. If you dare eat again, I won’t just make you spit out dumplings. I’ll make you spit out blood!”

The Zhang family guards have been instructed to act when the opportunity arises, ensuring one side eats well and the other doesn’t. They kick the man away and threaten him again, achieving their goal.

Everyone in the Liu family is furious, but no one dares retaliate. The Zhang family is too powerful to offend, so they redirect their resentment toward the Cao family, who are still eating.